1.65 lakh tonnes pulse yield likely in Rajshahi division

BSS, Rajshahi :
 Around 1.65 lakh tonnes of pulses are expected to be produced in all eight districts of Rajshahi division during the current Rabi season, officials said.
 Various types of pulses, including black gram, lentil, grass-pea, chickpea, pea (motorshuti), winter mung bean and pigeon-pea, are likely to be produced from around 1.24 lakh hectares of land.
 Target has been set to produce 61,433 tonnes of pulses from 42,808 hectares of land in four districts of Rajshahi Agricultural Zone, while 60,357 tonnes from 45,268 hectares in four other districts of Bogura Agricultural Zone. Target of producing 71,249 tonnes of lentil was set from 47,269 hectares of land, 3,053 tonnes of chickpea from 1,960 hectares, 43,057 tonnes of black gram from 39,501 hectares and 43,136 tonnes of grass-pea from 31,630 hectares of land.
 Apart from this, 4,335 tonnes of peas are likely to be produced from 3,116 hectares, 103 tonnes of pigeon pea from 101 hectares and 127 tonnes of winter mung-bean from 100 hectares of land.
 Mozder Hossain, Deputy Director of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said they have already adopted all possible measures to meet the existing demand of pulses through attaining the production target. He said the growers here are showing more interest in lentil cultivation as it does not take much irrigation cost. Besides, they got abundant production in the last few years. Some 11,300 farmers were given seeds and fertilizers free of cost for grass-pea farming under the government’s agriculture incentive programme.
 Similarly, 6,350 farmers received seed and fertilizer incentives worth around Taka 13 lakh for lentil farming, while 4,000 got incentives valued at Taka 8.18 lakh for mung-bean cultivation.
 Sub Assistant Agriculture Officer Atanu Sarker told BSS that the farmers are seen getting better yield of the cash crops for the last couple of years as a result of promoting high yielding varieties and modern management.